Gutenberg's
Bible
The Bible embodies the universal spread of the divine message and the dawn of a new era.
The masterpiece of 1454
Text & typography
The Vulgate Latin text printed in Gothic typeface across two narrow columns.
Dimensions
1286 pages spread across two large volumes. Page format approximately 22 × 31 cm.
Materials
Initial print run of 185 copies of 42 lines on luxury paper and precious vellum.
« All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. »
The Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16Structure of the Bible
Books in total
It is composed of 66 books in total: 39 in the Old Testament (to which 7 apocryphal books are added in some translations) and 27 in the New Testament.
Different authors
The Bible was written over 15 centuries by prophets, kings and apostles inspired by God, in Hebrew and Aramaic for the OT, and in Greek for the New Testament.
Comparing the texts
Discover side by side the original Latin text of the Vulgate and its English translation through Genesis 1 verses 1 to 7,
a testament to the faithfulness with which the printing press transmitted the Scriptures across the centuries.
In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Terra autem erat inanis et vacua, et tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi; et Spiritus Domini ferebatur super aquas.
Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Dixitque Deus: Fiat lux et facta est lux.
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Et vidit Deus lucem quod esset bona. Et divisit lucem a tenebris.
God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
Appellavitque lucem Diem, et tenebras Noctem. Factumque est vespere et mane, dies unus.
God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day.
Dixit quoque Deus: Fiat firmamentum in medio aquarum, et dividat aquas ab aquis.
And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water."
Et fecit Deus firmamentum, divisitque aquas quae erant sub firmamento, ab his quae erant super firmamentum. Et factum est ita.
So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.
« And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world… »
The Bible, Matthew 24:14An unmatched global impact
The best-selling and most distributed book in the world (over 5 billion copies).
The number of languages into which the Bible has been translated, including partial translations (April 2026).
The number of surviving original Gutenberg copies in existence.
Historical accuracy confirmed by ancient manuscripts.
Translation continues
The Bible is the absolute all-time bestseller in the world! It has been translated partially or fully into 4,129 languages (April 2026).
This work is diligently continued by many linguists, including Wycliffe Bible Translators. | Also visit: Global Recordings Network
« Then I saw another angel… he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. »
The Bible, Revelation 14:6and it is through it that God speaks to all of humanity.